Slide fastener carrier tape

ABSTRACT

A slide fastener including a folded carrier tape having warp threads at the folded portions made of a synthetic, selflubricating material such that the carrier tape resists wear at the folded portions and the movement of a slider along the folded portions is facilitated.

Umted States Patent 1 1 3,590,881

[72] Inventor William F. Van Amburg [56] ReferencesCited Mefldville. P8.UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 373 835 4/1945 Jones 139/384 :5 E d :33?2,400,327 5/1946 Womble 139/420 fi In 2,400,924 5/1946 Fite l38/384 l 13,328,l00 6/!967 Spokes et a|..1.. 139/420 3,490,l08 l/l970 Frohlich24/205.l6 Primary Examiner-Henry S. Jaudon 11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.{52] U.S.Cl 139/384, ABSTRACT: A slide fastener including a foldedcarrier tape 24/205.l, 24/205.l6 having warp threads at the foldedportions made of a [5 1] int. Cl A44b 19/00 synthetic, self-lubricatingmaterial such that the carrier tape [50] Field of Search 139/384,resists wear at the folded portions and the movement of a k X\i\ V 24 Jl24/l6/(26 28 1o slider along the folded portions is facilitated.

PATENTED JUL SIB?! 3,590,881

FIG. I FIG. 4

William F. Van Amburg ATTORNEYS SLIDE FASTENER CARRIER TAPE BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention The present inventionpertains to slide fasteners and more particularly to carrier tapes forslide fasteners.

2. Description of the Prior Art In order to form seam-type slidefasteners, the carrier tape to which the interengageable elements of thefastener are attached is folded such that the interengageable elementsare not visible. The folds in the carrier tape are adapted to bereceived by the slider during opening and closing operation; and,accordingly, the folded portions of the carrier tape tend to wear andimpede movement of the slider. That is, the thread normally utilized inweaving carrier tapes is not sufficiently lubricous to permit easymovement of the slider nor strong enough to withstand the wear attendantthe use of its folded portions as bearing surfaces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the presentinvention to utilize a lubricous carrier tape with a slide fastener.

The present invention is summarized in a carrier tape for a slidefastener including an inner marginal portion for at tachment tointerengageable elements of the slide fastener, and thread means at theinner marginal portion made of a synthetic, self-lubricating material.

Another object of the present invention is to position threads of aself-lubricating material in a carrier tape to permit nonstickingmovement of a slider.

A further object of the present invention is to make warp threads atfolded portions of a slide fastener carrier tape of a syntheticself-lubricating material.

The present invention has another object in that the bearing surfaceswhere a carrier tape contacts a slider include warp threads made ofasynthetic, self-lubricating material.

Some of the advantages of the present invention over the prior art arethat the slide fasteners resist wear during operation and cleaning, andsliding movement of the slider for the slide fasteners is facilitated.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description of the preferred embodimenttaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a partial elevation of aslide fastener embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a carrier tape embodying the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross section of the carrier tape of FIG. 2 taken along line3-3.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross section of the slide fastener of FIG. 1taken along line 44..

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, broken side view of the slide fastener of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A slide fastener embodying thepresent invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 and includes a slider that ismanually movable to open and close interengageable elements mounted oncarrier tapes indicated generally at 12 and 112. Since the carrier tapesand interengageable elements on either side of the slide fastener areidentical, only the structure of the right hand side will be describedin detail, and reference numbers with 1100 added will be utilized toindicate identical structure of the left-hand side.

Carrier tape 12 has an outer selvage edge 14 for attachment to a web ofmaterial, such as that of a garment, and an inner marginal portion 16for attachment to the interengageable elements of the slide fastener ina manner to be described hereinafter. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, carriertape 12 is woven with a plurality of longitudinal warp threads 18 and aplurality of weft or filter threads 20 running transverse to the warpthreads.

The interengageable elements are indicated generally at 22 in FIGS. 4and 5 and are made of any type of filamentary material, such as suitableplastic. The elements 22 include spaced interengageable heads 24connected with an upper arcuate heel 26 and a lower arcuate heel 28through superposed legs 30 and 32, respectively. The inner marginalportion 16 of carrier tape 12 is secured to elements 22 by disposing theend of the carrier tape in the spaces between upper heels 26 and lowerheels 28 and fastening the end in such position by stitching threads 24which encircle legs 30 and 32. The carrier tape is folded around upperheel 26 at 36 to form a middle layer 38 overlying legs 30 and reversefolded upon itself at 40 to form an upper layer 42. Layer 38 is securedto elements 22 by stitching threads 44 which encircles arms 30 and 32.

As is well known in the art, the slider 10 is utilized to control themeshing of interengageable element 22. Theslider 10 has a bottom wing 46and a pair of top flanges 48 and 148 joined to the bottom wing 46 by apair of slide flanges S0 and 150, respectively, to form a meshingchamber. The carrier tapes extend from the chamber through a channelcommunicating therewith between top flanges 48 and 148, and the topflanges 48 and 148 are disposed under the upper layers 42 and 142,respectively, of the carrier tapes. A pull P 'is utilized for manualmovement of the slider 10 causing the mating and unmating of theinterengageable elements 22 and 122 to close and open the slidefastener, respectively.

The outer surface of fold 36 of carrier tape 12 has a tendency to rubagainst top flange 48 and side flange 50; and similarly, the innersurface of fold 38 has a tendency to rub against the end of top flange48. These areas which have a tendency to rub against the slider arereferred to as bearing surfaces, and the actual area and positioning ofthe bearing surfaces of the carrier tape will vary dependent upon thetype of interengageable elements utilized, the manner in which theelements are attached to the carrier tape and the slider for usetherewith.

At the bearing surfaces, warp threads 18a are utilized -in place of warpthreads 18 which are normally made of a conventional, naturally occuringmaterial. Warp threads 18a are made of a synthetic, self-lubricatingmaterial such as polytetrafluorethylene. By self-lubricating material ismeant a lubricous material which can withstand sliding forces withoutdegradation and facilitates sliding movement thereacross without thenecessity of an externally applied lubricant.

As shown in FIG. 4, approximately five warp threads 18a are positionedaround the outer surface of fold 36 such that the warp threads 18a willbear against flanges 48 and 50 of the slider. A single warp thread 18ais positioned at the inner surface of fold 40 such that it will bearagainst the end of top flange 48 of the slider. Since stitching thread44 holds middle layer 38 of carrier tape 12 against leg 30 and away fromtop flange 48, only the above mentioned six warp threads 18a need beutilized to assure nonsticking movement of the slider and to improve thewear resistance of the slider fastener. It should be clear however, thatmore or less warp threads 18a may be utilized and positioned dependentupon the slide fastener structure, as mentioned above.

Warp threads 18a are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 as positioned incarrier tape 12 prior to attachment of the carrier tape to theinterengageable elements 22. The five warp threads 18a which are to bepositioned at fold 36 are spaced from the end of inner marginal portion16 of the carrier tape by five conventional warp threads 18, and thesingle warp thread which is to be positioned at fold 38 is spaced fromthe five warp threads 18 by five conventional warp threads 18. Thecarrier tape is woven in conventional manner; however, warp threads 18aare substituted for the conventional warp threads 18 at positionscorresponding to bearing surfaces of the carrier tape as utilized in thefinished slide fastener.

lnterengageable elements 22 are in parallel relation with the warp'threads such that warp threads 18a provide a bearing surface for theslider. The self-lubricating characteristic of the warp threads 18apermits easy nonsticking sliding movement of the slider over the carriertapes and prevents wear from such sliding movement. Accordingly, thelife of slide fasteners embodying the present invention is greatlyincreased, and sliding operation of the slide fastener is facilitated.

In as much as the present invention is subject to many variations,modifications and changes in detail, it is intended that all mattercontained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanyingdrawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

What I claim is:

1. A carrier tape for use with a slide fastener comprising an innermarginal portion for attachment to interengageable elements of the slidefastener, and

thread means at said inner marginal portion made of a synthetic,self-lubricating material.

2. The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein said carrier tape iswoven with a plurality of warp threads extending in parallel relationwith the interengageablc elements of the slide fastener, and said threadmeans are selected ones of said warp threads.

. 3. The invention as recited in claim 2 wherein said materia ispolytetrafluorethylene.

4. A slide fastener comprising interengageable element means;

a slider having a chamber receiving said interengageable element meansto control the interengaging thereof; and carrier tape means attached tosaid interengageable element means and having bearing surface portionsdisposed in said chamber of said slider, said bearing surface portionshaving threads made of a synthetic, self-lubricating material.

5. The invention as recited in claim 4 wherein said threads are warpthreads disposed in parallel relation with said interengageable elementmeans.

6. The invention as recited in claim 5 wherein said interengageableelement means includes a plurality of upper and lower heels and saidcarrier tape means has an inner end disposed between said upper andlower heels and said carrier tape means is folded over said upper heelsto define a first of said bearing surface portions.

7. The invention as recited in claim 6 wherein said slider has a channelcommunicating with said chamber and said carrier tape means extendsthrough said channel and is folded thereabout to define a second of saidbearing surface portions.

8. The invention as recited in claim 7 wherein said material ispolytetrafluorethylene.

9. A carrier tape for use with a slide fastener, said carrier tapehaving folded portions with warp threads therein made of a synthetic,self-lubricating material.

10. The invention as recited in claim 9 wherein said carrier tape has aninner end, a first of said folded portions is spaced from said innerend, and a second of said folded portions is spaced from saidfirst-folded portion.

11. The invention as recited in claim 10 wherein said carrier is wovenwith threads of a naturally occurring material in the spaces betweensaid inner end and said first-folded portion and between said first andsecond folded portions, and said synthetic, self-lubricating material ispolytetrafluorethylene.

1. A carrier tape for use with a slide fastener comprising an innermarginal portion for attachment to interengageable elements of the slidefastener, and thread means at said inner marginal portion made of asynthetic, self-lubricating material.
 2. The invention as recited inclaim 1 wherein said carrier tape is woven with a plurality of warpthreads extending in parallel relation with the interengageable elementsof the slide fastener, and said thread means are selected ones of saidwarp threads.
 3. The invention as recited in claim 2 wherein saidmaterial is polytetrafluorethylene.
 4. A slide fastener comprisinginterengageable element means; a slider having a chamber receiving saidinterengageable element means to control the interengaging thereof; andcarrier tape means attached to said interengageable element means andhaving bearing surface portions disposed in said chamber of said slider,said bearing surface portions having threads made of a synthetic,self-lubricating material.
 5. The invention as recited in claim 4wherein said threads are warp threads disposed in parallel relation withsaid interengageable element means.
 6. The invention as recited in claim5 wherein said interengageable element means includes a plurality ofupper and lower heels and said carrier tape means has an inner enddisposed between said upper and lower heels and said carrier tape meansis folded over said upper heels to define a first of said bearingsurface portions.
 7. The invention as recited in claim 6 wherein saidslider has a channel communicating with said chamber and said carriertape means extends through said channel and is folded thereabout todefine a second of said bearing surface portions.
 8. The invention asrecited in claim 7 wherein said material is polytetrafluorethylene.
 9. Acarrier tape for use with a slide fastener, said carrier tape havingfolded portions with warp threads therein made of a synthetic,self-lubricating material.
 10. The invention as recited in claim 9wherein said carrier tape has an inner end, a first of said foldedportions is spaced from said inner end, and a second of said foldedportions is spaced from said first-folded portion.
 11. The invention asrecited in claim 10 wherein said carrier is woven with threads of anaturally occurring material in the spaces between said inner end andsaid first-folded portion and between said first and second foldedportions, and said synthetic, self-lubricating material ispolytetrafluorethylene.